Jose Mourinho has discussed the concerns around Jude Bellingham’s burnout at Real Madrid.
The Englishman has been in stunning form since the start of the World Cup, but his conditioning has become a topic in the Spanish media.
Just six games into the season and Bellingham has been working his socks off, something Mourinho acknowledged in a 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano.
Real slowed the LaLiga match down in the second half with a 3-0 lead, and the coach admitted it was energy management in the case of Bellingham.
Mourinho makes Bellingham admission
“A player like Jude played the last ten minutes and he had absolutely no energy left,” Mourinho said.
“It’s not just physical energy, but also mental energy; it’s not just about lowering the intensity of the game, it’s about concentration, more mistakes…
“Everyone made mistakes in the initial build-up phase, where we lost possession three or four times, dropped deeper, Rayo had more shots on goal… The motivation was to start strong and finish the game quickly.”
Mourinho’s Bellingham concerns echo what’s been said in the media, with former Madrid defender Rafael Alkorta summing up his scintillating start.
“If things continue like this, he’ll be back to square one in March if Mourinho doesn’t handle it properly,” he said.
“Either he changes, or he’ll be finished by March, because he’s the only one of the forwards who’s going to be carrying the load.
“Even though you’re in great physical shape now, which you are, when the time comes to be at your absolute best, like in the Champions League knockout stages, that’s when you have to be at your best.
“When you have a player like the one we’re seeing in these matches who’s running non-stop… Even though he’s young and a prodigy, it’s better to keep him somewhat in reserve.”
Leave a Reply